Lucifer reacted faster than thought, throwing the covers over my very naked chest and his very naked everything. His wings snapped outward, and I nearly choked on a mouthful of silky black feathers. What a fucking mood ruiner.

"Who the fuck-" I snarled, trying to see past the giant-ass wing in my face. Lucifer stubbornly ignored me and shifted his wing to keep me covered. What, so seeing my shoulders was now some sort of taboo? Was he telling me I couldn't show shoulder? It was like being back in freaking high school. Out of spite, I made a mental note to wear more tube tops and cold-shoulders.

"What are you doing here, Marcus, Megara?" Lucifer barked. At least I knew who it was now. I popped up, peering around Luce's wing while he was distracted.

Both wore their professional masks, faces hard and black as stone. Shit, they meant business.

"There has been a breach in the castle. The aura is celestial." Megara replied crisply. She was utterly void of emotion, but at her statement I felt a cold wave of terror crash over my body.

"What?!" Lucifer roared, springing to his feet, glittering gold and black armor materializing on his body.

"How the hell did you not sense that?!" Marcus roared, "it's the aura of a goddamn archangel!"

I yanked on my shirt, no longer caring if anyone saw me. This did not escape Lucifer's notice.

"Don't you even think about it, Amirykal," he ordered, gripping me by the shoulders, his eyes pleading, "I can't lose you, my Gift. Stay here."

Before I even had a chance to respond, he and Marcus vanished. Only Megara and I remained. She stared at me and I stared back at her.

"Meg-"

"I'll take you there. But I need to go round up reinforcements, so do try not to die." She didn't even hesitate, pressing a long-bladed knife into my hand. It was bluish-gray, and odd runes that I didn't recognize were engraved down the edge.

"What is-"

"It's a fucking knife, Ammi! Just stab with the pointy end!" I decided that further questioning was useless, so I shut up and took the other woman's proffered hand. Instantly, I was transported. My stomach rolled, and I clenched every muscle in my body to prevent myself from vomiting onto the stone floor.

Fuck.

Then, I took in my surroundings.

Fuck!

The room was gigantic; larger than any other in the castle that I'd seen. It was domed, and torches flickered on the walls, the uncertain light only increasing the dread that had begun to build in the pit of my stomach. But the truly terrifying thing wasn't the room itself. It was the beings that occupied it.

Lucifer stood a few feet in front of me, his wings folded slightly behind him and his armor shimmering in the torchlight. Marcus stood by his side, brandishing a wicked-looking scythe in one hand, and flames crackling in his other. However, my attention was completely occupied by my angel. He looked positively lethal. His two swords were drawn, but not extended, and his icy blue eyes were trained unblinkingly on the final being in the chamber.

He was tall; around Luce's height, but that was where the similarities stopped. He was shirtless, and the pants he wore were slung low on his slim hips. His bones jutted from beneath his ashen skin; I could tell that at one point his complexion had been like Luce's, but now it was almost gray. He was skinny, but the muscle definition was unmistakable. His head was bowed, and his long, chocolate-brown hair effectively hid his face. All in all, he looked eerie, but not overly threatening. Other than the fact that he carried a massive, two-handed longsword in his fists, he was completely fucking harmless.

Oh, and he had gigantic wings sprouting from his back.

I could tell they had been quite lovely at one time. The reddish-brown hue was gorgeous, and they were speckled like the wings of a hawk. However, unlike Lucifer, whose wings shone with health and vitality, these wings were limp and dull, flight feathers cracked at broken. As I watched, they shifted slightly, and two more downy feathers detached and fluttered to the floor.

I felt tears prick my eyes at the sight. No creature should be reduced to this state, particularly not one like him.

"Show your face, brother." Lucifer's voice rang around the room, snapping me out of my haze. I blinked angrily, swiping my hand across my eyes. I couldn't be so weak!

And yet, I could see the tremble in Lucifer's shoulders. As strong as he must appear, he hated this as much as I did. I stepped forward almost unconsciously, wanting to comfort him. As I did so, my foot scuffed slightly against the floor, and a small pebble skittered.

Why?

Because I'd done something despicable in my past life?

Because I'd been cursed?

Because God didn't want me to have anything nice?

Possibly, but regardless, the resulting sound caught some attention.

Instantly, all three men snapped towards me, Lucifer and Marcus' faces reflected their horror at my presence, but it was short-lived. Because unlike them, the stranger reacted.

He rushed me, moving so blindingly fast that I didn't have time to blink, much less move. I was staring death in the face, and I couldn't do a damn thing about it.

A streak of black blurred past me, intercepting the mystery angel's deadly path and slamming him against the wall. Lucifer came into focus, his right sword now dripping golden liquid. The stranger made no sound and shot immediately to his feet. The long gash in his torso healing up as I watched. Then, Marcus appeared next to me, brandishing his scythe defensively.

"You're one gigantic pigheaded idiot when you want to be!" He snarled under his breath, not even looking at me. I didn't bother to answer, my eyes fixed on my angel.

"I ordered you to show your face, brother. You are in my realm, and now that you have attacked a bystander, I am within my rights to end you. You would be wise to heed my command."

I was shocked.

There was no trace of anger in his tone. In fact, there was no emotion at all.

And he hadn't referred to me as anything other than a bystander.

Of course he didn't, dummy. He can hardly show weakness, now can he?

As much as I understood it, I didn't have to like it. This side of Lucifer was chilling and unfamiliar.

"Ah, Lucifer. Your time in Hell shows. Lying is still a sin, Brother." The voice was melodic and smooth, but the threatening undertone was unmistakable.

"I commit no sins, Brother." My angel replied, his tone still as icy and emotionless as before. I shivered.

"Oh, come now. Are you really so reluctant to introduce me to your mate?"

Lucifer stilled as Marcus swore under his breath.

"Quiet, Marc!" He snapped, but it was too late.

"As I thought," the newcomer purred, "let's see her, shall we?"

He flicked a hand lazily, and Marcus was flung violently across the room, slamming headfirst into the opposite wall. He lay there, unmoving. Lucifer didn't look at his friend. He didn't look at me, either. For as he tossed Marcus aside, the new angel looked up at me. Familiar brilliant blue eyes flashed at me from behind the curtain of dark hair, and I knew without a doubt who I was looking at.

Lucifer's shocked exclamation confirmed my fears.

"Raphael!"